Oil well gusher control regulator



Oct. 23, 1934. -H. L. WALKER 1,978,378

OIL WELL GUSHER CONTROL REGULATOR Filed 001:. 27, 1955 INVENTOR. J{ L.Waiker:

*1; 3 ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 23, 1934 PATE T or fice OIL WELL GUSHERCONTROLREGULATORHardie L. Walker, Oakland, Calif.

Application ct0ber 27, 1933, Serial No. 655,488

6 Claims. (01. 1.166 -15) This invention;relates to oil well gushercontrol regulator andmore particularly it is an improvement on the formof the invention shown in my application dated Sept. 11, 1933 Ser, No

" 688,989 and the object of the invention is topro vide meansfor'shutting off a gusher completely and divert the flow of oil in. theevent'that the drill rod 'or drilling cable is still in'the well cas- 1ing after the gusher blows.

thewell casing around drilling cable ordrill' rods ofdifferent sizes, oraround the drill rod coupling in case it is engaged by the apparatus.

Another object is to provide means to close an oil well gusher n thedrill rod or cable is in the well or ifit is not in the well, and tooperate the closing means by remote control.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kindwhich can be attached after the gusher comes in, and be controlled anddiverted by a remote operator.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a series of nestingsleeves in the members that are clamped around the well casing wherebyit is adapted to fit different sizes of casing.

Other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in thisbranch of engineering as the description progresses.

- An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing inwhich the same reference numeral is applied to the same portionthroughout the several views, and of which there may be modifications.

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the fittings clamped on to a wellcasing, and having the hinged housings open.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, but showing the housingsclosed.

Figure 3 is a detached sectional view of the drill rod, or cable block.

Figure 4 is a face view of the drill cable rod block. 7

Figure 5 is a side sectional view of the drill cable or rod blockshowing it solid for closing the opening when there is no drill cable orrod in the well casing.

Figure 6 is a view showing a portion of one of the flanged housings.

Figure '7 shows a modified form of the drill cable or rod block andmeans of attaching it without bolts;

Figure 8 is a detail of the form of drill cable or rod block shown inFigure 9. p

l Figure 9 is a modified form of the invention in Another object is toprovide means for closing which the drill cable or rod blocks are selfclamp-1 ing on the drill rod. 1

Figure 10 is a face view of a portion ofone of the housings showing thewedge shaped block in place."

The numerals 1 and 2 indicate'the two halves of the attachable clampthat is adapted to be attached and; securely clampedto the pipe 3 of theoil well1just below the coupling as shown. The hinged housings 4 and 5havethe hinge bolts 6 and '7. The faces 8. and 9 of the housings areadapted to contact and be bolted together by the bolts 10.. The hingedhousings are drawn together] by the threaded rods 11 and 12 on each sideof the pathof the gusherfand areoperated by remote control, as describedin my former application above mentioned, thepresent invention having todo with clamping around the drill rod 13 or a cable which may be in thewell casing after the gusher starts.

To provide for clamping around the drill rod or cable there is a recess14 in each face of the housings 8 and 9, and in this recess there is ablock 15, the face 16 of which is adapted to be flush with the face ofthe housings, the block having a lug 1'7, by which it is bolted to thehousing by the bolts 18. The blocks have the recess 19 to fit around thedrill cable or rod. Blocks having different sizes of recesses may bemade available for different size cable or rods, or to 8 fit over thecoupling 20 of the rod in case it should be in position to be engaged bythe housings.

In case there is no drill rod in the well casing at the time of thegusher, then the face 16 of the blocks is solid as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 illustrates how the drill rod or cable block may be held inplace without bolts, and it is done by having ears 21 and 22 on thehousing which form guides for the projecting members 23 and 24 on theblock 15, these guides may 5 be tight enough so that it will require thetap of a hammer to set the block flush with the face of the housing.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 the blocks 25and 26 are tapered, and

are held in place as shown by the bolts 27, and after the housings areclosed these bolts are removed, and the oil pressure causes the taperblocks to clamp the drill rod, or cable very tightly.

Half sleeves 282930 and 31 are provided for theclamp members 1 and 2,and these sleeves have the projecting rings 32 fitting intocorresponding recesses, the half sleeves forming complete sleeves whenclamped in place. 7 1w Having thus" described my invention what I desireto protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows, butmodifications may be had in carrying out the invention as shown in thedrawing and in the particularly described form thereof within' thepurview of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class describedcomprising clamping means for a well casing, housings hinged on pins onsaid clamping means, means to close said housings over the well casingand over a drill rod or cable in said casing to form a chamber over theend of the casing and around the drill rod or cable, and outlet valvesfor said chamber.

2. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class describedcomprising in combination a well casing, a drill rod in said casing,clamping means for said casing, housings hinged on pins on said clampingmeans, said housings adapted to be brought together to form a closedchamber over the end of said casing, co-acting recesses in said housingsto clamp around the drill rod when said housings are brought together,outlet valves for said chamber, and means to bring the housings togetherby remote control.

3. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class describedcomprising in combination a well casing, a drill rod in said casing,clamping means for said casing, co-acting housings hinged on pins onsaid clamping means, said housings adapted to be brought together toform a chamber over the end of the casing, detachable insert blocks inthe meeting faces of said housings, recesses in said blocks co-acting toclamp around the drill rod when the housings are brought together,outlet valves for said chamber, and means to bring the housings togetherby remote control.

4. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class describedcomprising in combination a well casing, a drill rod in said casing,means to clamp a pair of housings hinged on pins on to the well casingafter the gusher starts, said hinged housings coacting when broughttogether to form a closed chamber over the end of the casing, controlledoutlets from said chamber, a block set in the face of each of saidhousings, co-acting recesses in said blocks adapted to clamp andsurround said drill rod when the housings are brought together, andmeans to bring the housings together by remote control.

5. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class describedcomprising means to clamp a pair of housings hinged on pins to a wellcasing before, or after a gusher starts to flow, said housings co-actingwhen brought together to form a closed chamber over the end of the wellcasing, outlet valves for said chamber whereby the gusher is divertedand controlled, optional means in said housings to clamp around a drillrod or cable in said casing when said housings are brought to- 100gether, and means to bring the housings together by remote control.

6. An oil well gusher control regulator of the class describedcomprising, members adapted to be clamped to a well casing, nestingsleeves in 195 said members to provide for diiierent size well casings,hinged housings on said members 00- acting when brought together to forma chamber over the end of a well casing, and means to bring the housingstogether by remote con- -10 trol.

HARDIE L. WALKER.

